Bring Me Closer
by XxPhoenix FlightxX
Summary: Indirect sequel to Kintsugi, direct sequel to gaybaconprincess' Recovery. Slash. Rated for themes and language. Jason has finally accepted Jericho, allowing him to join Red Hood and abandon what little civilian life he has. They're both embracing the insanity, but Jay still needs a little persuading, but Jericho is up to the task. If Jason can keep up, that is.
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is! Okay probably no more than one particular person was waiting for this but all the same, it's here. And there will be more! Once again, this is full-on, 100%, absolute SLASH. Gay romance, with gay sex. The M rating isn't for language like is usually the case with me, so you have been warned. There's some required reading for this, Recovery by gaybaconprincess, which is a direct sequel to my last post, Kintsugi. There's more than that, included in some flashback scenes in her Suicide Squad 2 story, but those two are the real requirements. I mean you could probably read this and enjoy it anyway, but you'll be missing some of the story.**

 **This first part (meaning, yes, there will be more) is pretty much mostly sex. If you want to read the story without the sex, wait for the next parts, there will be a lot more to the story. Enjoy!**

Everything was finally falling into place for Jericho. No more pretending, no more silly civilian job, no more being away from Jason. Yes, Jason… The blonde smiled to himself, gripping Red Hood's leather jacket tighter as they sped through the backroads on his motorcycle. They were still wet from climbing out of the vat of chemicals, making Jericho feel a bit chilly, but he didn't mind much. They could get warm again soon…

He grinned, eyes glinting with anticipation. He remembered the things that Jason said to him, and most of all he remembered how the man kissed him, fiercely and passionately. It made the blonde feel like he was on fire, and he loved it. He wanted more; he'd wanted so much more for so long now, and he was finally going to get what he wanted. He loved getting what he wanted, and this was on the top of the list.

They pulled into the underground garage, parking the bike in the sectioned off area where Jason kept his vehicles, before getting in the elevator to ride all the way up to the penthouse where they lived. Jericho held onto Jason's arm, grinning wildly, and the dark-haired man had a bit of a smile on his face as well. It made Jericho tingle, shivering both from the cold and excitement.

The second they were inside, Jer pounced, actually jumping up to capture Jay's mouth with his own, already humming with pleasure. Jason's arms wrapped around his waist, holding him up. They kissed deeply, for a good long while, before Jason broke away for air. Jericho didn't waste a second, already pulling off his to-be-lover's jacket and shirt, slightly bleached from the chemicals. Before he got too far, though, larger hands wrapped around his own, stopping him. He looked up, confused.

Jason didn't speak for a moment, seeming to be caught up in some inward dilemma. "Jericho…"

"What?" the blonde asked softly, wide-eyed. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if…" Jason trailed off with a sigh, not wanting to break the teen's heart after just barely getting him back. Jericho frowned sharply, eyes glaring as he pulled his wrists free.

"Don't you dare, Jason Todd…" he said in a low voice. " _Look_ at me. Don't you _dare_ kiss me like you did and tell me those things if you don't mean it."

"We can't-"

" _Bullshit!_ " Jericho snapped, stepping back and stamping a foot. "All or nothing! I'm not going to hang around just to be another _henchman!_ You _want_ me, and I want you. What the _fuck?!_ "

"You aren't just a henchman," Jason argued back, his voice rising. "It's just complicated, okay?"

"What's so complicated?" the blonde threw both arms up in exasperation. "It's sex! You take your cock and-"

"I know how sex works, jesus!" Jason cut him off, almost going red in the face. He took a deep breath, eyebrows furrowing as he crossed one arm over his chest, the opposite hand reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I just… I'm already making you worse by letting you join me in other unsavory activities. That's damning enough without robbing the cradle."

Jericho snorted. "I'm eighteen, last I checked. I mean I don't remember my birthday or anything, but you told me I'd be eighteen by now and that's what's on the fake paperwork I used to get a job. You're no pedophile, Jason. You aren't attracted to me because I'm young, you like me for other reasons. Right?" The old insecurity began creeping into his tone again, and Jason instinctively wanted to hurry and rush into reassurances. However, unlike the earlier days, he weighed his words carefully first.

"Of course I am. It's more than that, though" he admitted. "After everything you've gone through, I feel like I'd just be taking advantage of you. Jericho, you _know_ your growth was stunted in a lot of ways, right? You've gotten better but…"

Jericho looked hurt, and angry. He glared up at Jason, and it was clear that he was having one of his more 'lucid' moments, taking this very seriously. "What? I'm too fucked up all of a sudden? Well _excuse me_ for getting kidnapped and tortured, okay? Won't let it happen again!"

He stormed off, heading to the bathroom. Jason hurried to catch up, grabbing him gently by the arm and turning him back around. He knew he had to say something, to fix this, but he was at a bit of a loss where to even start. "Jer, why do you want to have sex so bad anyway?"

"What the actual fuck kind of question is that?" the blonde said sharply, crossing his arms.

"Humor me," Jason said, exhausted. Maybe if Jericho had a really good reason, Jason could get over his own hangups. Or reaffirm his fears that Jericho wouldn't be able to handle it. Either way he wanted to stop feeling so torn.

"Because I'm male? You know, still technically a teenager?" Jericho answered, like it was obvious. It clearly wasn't convincing enough to Jay, so he let out an annoyed sigh and continued. "Okay, look. I don't like talking about this stuff so I'm going to make it quick, and I'm not going to repeat myself. I'm pretty sure I've had sex before, so it's not like this would be my first time or anything. But when everything happened… I changed. I forgot everything, I became something else. Dare I say I forgot sex even existed, I was too focused on staying alive and letting out my energy by murdering people instead."

Jericho spoke casually. Jay could tell that thinking back on the past like that still made him sad, so he was careful to do nothing but listen, giving his full attention out of respect. It wasn't often that the blonde spoke so in depth about his own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. He was usually more vague and flighty. Jason nodded, urging the blonde to continue.

"Anyways, after I came here and I didn't have to spend my time worrying about my own wellbeing, and I stopped killing, I wasn't expending that energy anymore. I didn't know what I would do with myself now that I was safe, but the more I spent time with you, the more I functioned like a normal person and the more old feelings cropped up."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "So… you got stuck with a teenage libido?"

"Yes. Now attached to all the other psychotic thoughts," Jericho answered, casually. "Bottom line, I _need_ to start having sex, I'm insanely, _desperately_ , horny, emphasis on insane, and I think it will help me continue to keep control of myself. Otherwise, I'll just snap and who knows what will happen."

"That's not an excuse," Jason argued. "I can find you literally every prostitute in the city."

"No!" Jericho said with impatience. "It _has_ to be you. You don't understand, having sex with someone, for me, is like the ultimate show of trust. I don't really trust anyone but you. If I let a stranger get that close to me, while I was all high on hormones, I'd flip out because I can't stand to let anyone else that close and I'd murder them. Is that what you want? Dead prostitutes to clean up every day?"

Jason ignored the 'every day' factor and let out a breath. "No, that's not what I want, of course, but… I don't know. You're still young and vulnerable and I just don't want to end up making anything worse, alright? I'm sorry. You're right, I'm extremely attracted to you, I just don't know if it's something I should let myself do."

Jericho looked up at him, still clearly unhappy. "So what? We do things we shouldn't do all the time. You're a crime lord and I'm a homicidal maniac. Stop being such a hypocrite!"

When Jason didn't answer, Jericho narrowed his eyes, pulling away again and turning sharply, entering the bathroom.

"Fine, then! But I mean it, Jason. All or nothing. I can't stand being _played with_."

The smaller of the two stripped off his shirt, popping off a few buttons. Jason stood as still as a statue, completely at a loss for words. As Jericho's naked back came into view, Jason saw the tattoo that bore his name, and remembered what was underneath it. It made a pit form in his stomach, and he felt guilty for a new reason.

He'd just agreed to let Jericho stay in his life, hadn't he? Agreed to let the young man join him, killing and committing crimes again. Why couldn't he just let this last wall between them come down? What was he so afraid of?

Jer turned on the shower, peeling off his skinny jeans and underwear all at once, with a huff. His face was turned away from the older man, but Jason could still clearly see that he was hurt. He hated to see Jericho hurting, especially when he knew he was the cause. He strode into the bathroom with just a few steps, once more grabbing the young man by the arm and turning him around. This time, however, he pulled him into another deep kiss.

Jericho made a very startled (and muffled) cry, stiff for a moment before slowly starting to relax into it. He didn't completely melt, though, not yet. His guard was still up. They broke apart, staying so close together that their noses touched, breathing heavily.

"Jason…" the blonde said in a low, warning tone. "I meant what I said… Don't kiss me like that if you don't mean it…"

"I mean it," Jay said huskily. "I don't want to hold back anymore, but listen to me." He locked gazes with Jericho firmly. "I took you away from him so I could save you, and help you get better. If this ever, at any point, now or in the future, makes you worse, we have to stop. I won't let myself make you worse."

Jericho gave a half-grin, eyes slightly hooded. "I know what it'll make me. Extremely happy. I want this, Jason, I _need_ this. I need you. So, c'mon…"

Jay reached over, turning off the water. "We'll shower after."

"But the sheets?"

"We're going to ruin them. Fuck the sheets."

"No, fuck _me._ " Jericho said, getting up on his toes to steal another kiss. Jason kissed him back, lifting him up, holding him by the naked ass. Jericho let out a happy sound, wrapping his legs around Jason's waist, though said waist was too wide for him to really wrap all the way around.

Jay carried him with ease, back down the hall to their bedroom. He dropped Jericho down onto the bed, making the blonde laugh with giddiness, laying there, panting, already getting hard. Jason looked down at him as he removed his shirt, glad he'd bandaged up so well, as well as taken plenty of painkillers. He could finally let go. He didn't care anymore. He wanted this, and he wasn't going to waste time feeling guilty about it anymore. He was probably going to hell anyway, might as well go all out and have some more fun before he got there, right?

And just like that, the last of his guilt and inhibitions were peeled away with the rest of his wet clothes as he crawled forward onto the large bed, practically falling down on top of his lover, kissing him like their lives depended on it.

The sounds Jericho made- they were as amazing as they were loud and frequent. Jason couldn't help but moan at the needy whimpers and pleased cries coming from the thin body beneath him.

"You're loud," he rumbled into Jericho's ear, giving it a nibble. "I like that."

"I never learned how to be quiet," the blonde answered, gasping. Jason wasn't sure if Jericho was fully aware of the irony in that statement, but he didn't really care. Which reminded him…

The choker with the red X on it was still wrapped around Jericho's neck, and suddenly it was the sexiest thing in the world to Jay. Naked except for a collar- it gave him some dirty thoughts, which fueled him into mouthing at Jer's throat, with a hint of roughness. Just peeking out from under the collar was Jericho's scar, and they were both pleasantly surprised to find that it was sensitive. Jason was tempted to take the collar off to really get to it, but decided not to this time.

When Jason's hand went exploring, and found an already pert little nipple, it proved to be too much for the blonde. He let out a high-pitched moan, his whole body arching and trembling as he came for the first time. Jason leaned away, propping himself up on one elbow to watch, his fingers never letting go of the small pink bud that had been the center of this reaction, drawing it all out a bit.

When he was done, Jericho went a bit limp, his face extremely flushed, yet his cock still mostly hard. "Oh…" he said in disappointment, a slight whine to his voice as Jason toyed lightly with his other nipple. "I didn't mean to…"

"I rather enjoyed that," Jason purred, a teasing smirk on his lips. "I want to see it again, so by all means don't hold back. Come as often as you're able."

Jay settled down on top of him again, their members slightly grinding together, making Jericho whimper loudly and twitch his hips. "Oh God!" he gasped.

Jason almost said something along the lines of, 'Thanks but my name is actually Jason,' but he figured it was way too easy. He'd save that line for another time, knowing he'd definitely get the opportunity. He really wanted to grind, but he picked up that Jericho was too sensitive for that at this very second, so after making out a while longer to give his lover time to recuperate, he sat up, reaching for his nightstand drawer to grab the lube. He also pulled out a few condoms; he was clean himself and pretty sure Jericho was as well, but since the blonde had a lot of memory gaps it would be dumb to assume anything until they'd had the chance for testing.

The way Jericho laid there, gasping for breath, all flushed and splattered with cum, he already looked a little bit fucked. A little bit, mind you, there was still a long ways to go before they achieved that particular look. Admiring him, Jason wondered how he held back all this time.

"It's a little cold," he warned, getting some lube on his fingers while Jericho parted his legs, opening himself up almost eagerly.

With his other hand he very lightly stroked Jer's cock, with feathery touches, while his lubed fingers started teasing and probing at the quivering entrance beneath it. He started out carefully, but to his own surprise, there was no resistance or tension. Jericho's body was absolutely relaxed, and he even rocked his hips, seeming to want more. Jason experimentally put in two at a time, and then three, but not once did his partner react with anything besides pure pleasure. Jay realized that with the way Jericho registered fear and pain, there was no reason for him to react with any of the usual tension. The tension rooted from nervousness that ultimately caused pain. He really was ready for this.

"Are you alright?"

"Huuunhh…?" Jericho moaned, eyes closed and hips still moving. Jason let out a low chuckle, withdrawing his fingers. _That_ got the blonde's attention. His eyes opened and he looked up, whining in protest. "Jay, no, that felt good…"

"I have something that will feel better," the man teased, slipping on a condom. Green eyes went wide, and his lips parted slightly with excitement.

"Please…" he breathed, squirming and shifting, parting his legs even further and tilting his hips up, invitingly.

Jason leaned down, kissing him as he guided his member into the waiting hole. He slid in easily, feeling some natural tightness but no resistance. His younger lover let out a loud cry of pleasure, his thin arms and legs wrapping around Jason, holding him as close as possible. Jay started at a slow, even pace, wanting to make it last, but Jer had other plans. His thighs gripped Jay's hips, urging him on, while his nails dug into the flesh of the man's shoulders.

" _Move!_ " the blonde gasped, demanding and impatient. "I need- _more!_ "

And of course, whatever his babydoll wanted, Jason would give to him.

The pace quickly became faster, more rough and uneven. Judging by his screams of pleasure and the random babbling of nonsense, Jason figured he was giving Jericho exactly what he wanted.

"Fuck, _fuck, FUCK-!_ Jason! Oh fucking GOD- YES-! A-a-a-ah…! OhpleasefuckyesJasonfuckinggod…."

Jericho didn't even hear everything that was coming out of his mouth, and to be fair, Jason missed some parts of it too. It was just that Jericho felt so good that it seemed he couldn't stop himself from verbalizing his train of thought in his state of ecstasy. That crazy, easily derailed train…

"I- think- there's- a song- for- this-!"

For a fleeting second Jason almost backtracked to ask what the hell that even meant, but just then Jericho pulled him into a rough, messy kiss, and he forgot all about it. He moaned, and growled deeply, gripping Jer hard by the hips as he thrusted, getting closer to his climax. Such a quick pace always made for an ending just as quick. With a groan and a final thrust, he finished, making Jericho tremble slightly, though he hadn't finished this time around.

The blonde gave a slight whimper as Jason pulled out, rolling onto his side and discarding the used condom. Jer rolled over with him, still squirming and kissing every bit of skin he could reach.

"I'm not done yet," he protested breathlessly.

"I know," Jay answered, giving him a short kiss while he caught his breath. "I need a minute, then we can go again."

Jericho climbed up, laying down on top of his lover like a giant pillow and settling for leaving bite marks and hickeys while he waited, grinding slightly with anticipation. Jason ran hands up and down the blonde's body, from shoulders and arms to ass and thighs, occasionally kissing the top of his head to show continued affection. Jer started humming, and at first it was just nonsense, but then he mumbled some lyrics in a sing-songy voice.

" _Help me_ … I broke apart my insides…. _Help me_ … I've got no soul to sell…" He mouthed along Jason's jawline, giving his earlobe a little nip before he continued. " _Help me_ … You make me _perfect…._ Help me become somebody else…"

It took a second for Jason to realize what he was singing, but when he did he sang the next line in a low, rumbling purr. "I wanna fuck you like an animal…" It made Jericho shiver and moan, fingers curling against Jay's chest as he sat up, straddling the man. He hummed the song on a loop, too out of breath to sing it all. Jason remembered what he'd said and he smirked. "You're right. There is a song for this."

He reached up, lazily tracing the spots of dried cum on Jericho's stomach, moving his hand down, teasing him but not touching him again. Not yet at least… Once more he took a second to admire his lover's body. The faded scars, the scattered tattoos… Jericho looked a lot less like a walking skeleton now, but he was still incredibly thin for his age. Not much body fat or muscle, but at least he was healthier now. His physical (and even psychological) growth might have been permanently stunted, but that didn't stop him from becoming a strong, clever, confident and downright sexy young man. Jason smirked again, one hand behind his head while the other finally wrapped around Jericho's cock again, making the blonde gasp, and the member itself to bob with arousal.

"Jay…" he moaned. "You'll make me cum."

"Don't you want to?" the man asked casually.

"N-n- ah! Y-yes, but- I want you- inside of me," he gasped out, arching his back to hold himself off. Jason took his hand away, making Jericho slump slightly with both relief and mild disappointment that the pleasure had ended.

"Then come back down here and show me what that pretty mouth can do," Jason said, reaching up to pull the blonde into a kiss himself. "Make me hard again, I want to hear you moaning."

Jericho very happily obliged, far from holding back. He moaned even more, now knowing that Jason liked it, and wanting to please him and make him feel good. Jay firmly squeezed his ass, encouraging him with a light, playful slap. Jericho let out a muffled squeak, feeling a bit more tingly now. After a few minutes of kissing and groping, Jason was hard again and Jericho wasted no time getting back to business, grabbing a second condom.

Jericho sat back, impaling himself once more on Jason's length, letting out a deep moan. Jason himself groaned, holding his narrow hips tightly to urge him along. In no time they set a fast pace, and the room was filled with the sounds of moaning, gasping, and flesh gently slapping together, all three in perfect rhythm. Jason's hips were a bit wide, making it difficult for Jer to ride him properly, but the blonde being so small made it easy enough for Jay to continue holding him by his own hips and do a portion of the work.

As he got closer, Jericho leaned down, catching Jay's mouth in a messy, passionate kiss, his cock now pressed lightly between their bodies, adding friction without having to touch it. He sped up, thighs clenching tightly as he moaned Jason's name into the man's own mouth. Jay put his feet flat on the bed, bending his knees and thrusting himself up to finish them both off, holding the blonde in place to properly fuck him again. Jericho cried out loudly in pleasure, fingers curling, his nails digging into Jason's shoulders again.

Jer came first, sitting up sharply, his back arching, hips rocking, and the rest of him trembling as wave after wave of pleasure crashed down on him. This was a much bigger climax than the first, and he was so loud that it was conceivable that the whole building heard him. This pushed Jason over the edge again, but he was much more quiet than his partner.

"God…" the dark-haired man groaned, catching his breath.

Jericho let out a final, whimpering moan, his face all flushed. "Mmm…" Slowly, he toppled back, sideways, falling over onto the bed. Jason sat up, getting out from underneath his lover's sprawled legs, and reaching out to stroke his cheek.

"You okay?" he asked gently.

"Mm-hm…" Jericho hummed happily, eyes closed. "Got dizzy…"

Jason frowned. _Shit…_ "When was the last time you ate?"

For a little while, Jericho didn't answer, thinking about it. "Lunch… At work…"

Jason let out a heavy sigh, moving to get up. "Jer, you're supposed to eat, remember? No wonder you got dizzy, you've been running around like a maniac all night and fucking like a jackrabbit."

One problem that still came up with the blonde was his apparent lack of hunger pains. If he felt them at all, his mind certainly didn't register them, and he would forget to eat unless told to regularly. Either Jason had to remind him, or he had to be signaled by a loudly growling stomach. It'd been a bigger problem at the beginning, but gradually they'd both gotten better about keeping routine meal-times. Jason got up, grabbing a clean pair of boxers to wear out to the kitchen to grab something to feed his partner.

"Don't be mad…" Jericho said, still sprawled on the bed and looking at Jason upside-down. "I was going to eat dinner with you when you got home but then when you did…"

"I'm not mad," the man told him, coming back to run his fingers through blonde curls soothingly. "If I'm ever that late coming home again, though, you should at least eat a snack, okay?"

"'Kay," the blonde smiled sleepily up at him. Jason couldn't help but smile back. Jericho still needed him; how could he think, even for a minute, that he could just hand the kid off to anyone else? No one else would know all the things Jason did, all the details about what Jericho needed and why and how and when. He'd spent a long time figuring all this stuff out for himself, and it would probably take anyone else even longer to figure it out, and Jericho needed the stability. On his way out of the bedroom he spotted the bat again, and chewed on his lip. No, no one else could handle this kid.

Jason brought back the simplest thing he could find for Jericho to eat, just a bagel with cream cheese spread on both halves. He'd make sure they had a big breakfast tomorrow morning to make up for it. He laid back down in bed, on his side to watch over Jer, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor to keep from getting crumbs in the bed. There was a lot to plan for tomorrow but Jason was just too exhausted to really think about it yet. For now, it was just him and Jericho, and nothing else. The blonde stared out the window while he ate, watching the city lights. The window was a one-way mirror of course, to give them their privacy, but even then it was unlikely that anyone was even awake to watch them.

After Jericho finished his food he climbed back into bed, on top of Jason, nuzzling up to him with a happy hum.

"Wanna go again?"

Jason snorted, kissing the top of his head. "It's been a long night, I bet you're tired. I know I am."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Alright," Jay said, "then just lay still and quiet for thirty minutes, and if you're still awake by then, we'll go another round. Deal?"

Jericho groaned in protest but did quiet down, getting under the covers and snuggling up with Jason, seeming determined to stay awake. Of course, just like Jason knew he would be, the teen was out like a light in less than ten. As with hunger, Jericho sometimes had a hard time reading his body's signals of tiredness. Once he heard the gentle snoring of his partner, Jason closed his eyes, letting himself fall into a heavy sleep as well.

 **So there you have it. A lot has changed between them since my last post, hasn't it? It's good though. Stay tuned for two more parts to this story, and also keep an eye on gaybaconprincess' work, I know she's planning on doing more with these two as well. If you liked what you read, I'd like to hear about it, so if you would please leave a review. Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Good morning, peeps! Now we get into the story side of things. This part is probably the shortest and 'least eventful' of the three, but I still think it's very enjoyable. No sex and no murder just yet, but that's all coming back, I promise.**

 **Enjoy!**

Johnny had no idea what to expect as he made his way up to the penthouse in the elevator. Last night had been one long, insane roller coaster. First there was the whole debacle with Chartreuse, which was bad enough. Then, Joseph had run off on some murderous, vengeful rampage, sending the two older males out to look for him. Johnny had been trying to tail the Bat to keep an eye out, while Red Hood went for the kid. Jason had managed to nab the kid before the Dark Knight did, but only after he'd murdered Red's former ally and sixteen of his men. Johnny saw the aftermath, and it wasn't pretty. He knew where Joseph came from, and he'd known the kid was homicidal, but he was still shocked at the brutality of it.

The next thing Johnny heard was that Red was leaving town, leaving Jericho behind. He asked Johnny to stick around, out of sight, to try and steer the kid towards someone else who could help him without hurting him. Then, not five minutes later, he got a text to say that the blonde had run off again. Johnny was back out on the streets looking when he got the next message.

 _He's with me, we're going home. Come to the loft in the morning, we'll sort it all out._

So, needless to say, it was a fairly eventful night, with a seemingly endless back and forth between the two other men. Johnny sighed as he watched the floor numbers slowly change as he rode up, and he hoped that this would all come to a head as nicely as possible. Obviously, the kid needed Red now, there was very little chance he'd function if Jason wasn't with him. In a different way, Jay needed Jericho, too. It was obvious how much he liked the kid, and Johnny didn't really know why his employer didn't just give in already. Sure, the kid was young, and insane, with violent tendencies, but as long as Jason was around he was a lot more sane. They were good for each other.

Upstairs, there were shoes and some articles of clothing strewn about. He frowned, not quite sure what to think just yet. With the make-out session he'd caught them in earlier last night, he wouldn't be _that_ surprised if things had gone in that direction. Then again, the clothes looked mildly damaged, as if bleached, and the GPS had told Johnny that his boss had been at an old chemical plant last night around the time of the last message, so it could be that they were just tired and wanted to get out of the wet clothes.

He made his way carefully down the hall, to the bedroom. He wasn't really sure he wanted to go in, but the door was already half open. And, he knew he should at least check to see if they were both still alive. Then he could go make breakfast or something to wait for them to wake up. It was already rather late in the morning, so he'd hoped to catch them already awake, but since they didn't seem to be he could only hope they would be soon enough.

The redhead very slowly and carefully peered in past the door. There were some more clothes on the floor, and the large duvet was pulled all the way up, to his relief. He saw Jason's head and shoulders above the covers, as he rested on his side with his back to the door. Just barely visible on the other side of the man was a messy mop of light blonde curls. Johnny nodded once to himself, stepping back to leave the room, when the floor creaked just slightly beneath his foot. Bright green eyes flashed up at him, wide awake and glinting with a somewhat familiar look in them. Johnny froze under that gaze, as if he were facing off a wild animal. The blonde looked like he wanted to kill and eat him like a wild animal, too. Not out of rage but just because he could. Or, was that something other than blood-lust in his eyes…? Johnny sure as hell didn't want to find out, and as Jer shifted, he tensed, ready to slam the door shut and run.

Then, with a yawn, Jericho's eyes closed and when he opened them again they were back to normal. He sat up with a stretch, showing a bare torso, while Jason's sleeping body covered him from the waist down. There was the most smug, content look on the kids face, and the messier-than-usual hair combined to make the couple's resolution last night very clear to Johnny. Well, at least things had ended nicely.

Just as Johnny was planning on leaving to go to the kitchen, the blonde was pushing against Jay's body with both hands to wake him up, which worked. Jason groaned with annoyance at being woken up, looking up at the blonde with tired eyes.

"Ugh… Didn't you get enough last night? I'm too tired to-"

Johnny quietly coughed to alert Jason to his presence before things got too graphic. The dark-haired man turned his grumpy gaze to Johnny, somewhat surprised, and suddenly even more annoyed.

"Johnny! Get the hell out!"

The biker couldn't help but smirk slightly and chuckle to himself at Jay's embarrassment, quickly ducking out before Jason could find anything to throw. "I'll make some breakfast!" he called out behind him.

"I want coffee!" The blonde shouted back. Jason let out a snort, seeing that the kid was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, despite their late night, filled with every activity from murder to sex.

"Make his decaf!" Jason added to the command, making Jer pout a little. The frown didn't stay long, though, as their mouths met in a morning kiss.

"Jason…" Jericho hummed happily, meeting his eyes as he laid on top of him again. "I love you."

Jason blinked, but then gave a small smile. "I love you too," he answered softly.

"Can I have a pistol like yours?"

Jason couldn't help but groan. What had he got himself into. His first instinct was to say no, right off the bat, but then he reminded himself that things were different now. He remembered the way Jer had fearlessly shot at the Bat last night, and the rush he himself had felt seeing the kid so effortlessly taken care of himself.

"Alright, we'll get you some of your own things, so you can keep taking care of yourself."

"I like the bat," Jer said, pointing to the bloodied and slightly broken weapon from the night before.

"Alright, I'll get you a better one. That one wasn't really strong enough to handle _you_ ," he teased. "Now let's get up, shower, and go eat."

The blonde jumped up, even more cheerful and bouncy than usual. Jason realized that the kid wasn't even sore, and he shook his head. While it was a good thing, a little pain would have kept Jericho from pressing his limits too far. He would have to keep an eye on that, if Jericho was to join him in his work. He could literally work himself into passing out if no one stopped him, which he seemed to when he was Jester. This time around Jason would be sure it didn't happen. He would still take care of Jericho, and make sure he was healthy and happy, and safe. Relatively, of course, since he now would be running through Gotham at night again.

Jericho showered first, inviting Jason to join him, but to the blonde's disappointment, Jay needed to change his bandages. He was popping another handful of painkillers when Jer poked his head out of the shower.

"Jay, I gotta call into work to tell them I can't be here today."

 _Oh right, shit…_

"That's okay, Mr. Wayne already knows you're not coming," Jason said vaguely.

Jericho never put anyone's identities together, even if it was right in front of him, and it was easier if he didn't realize. However, Jason was pretty sure that Bruce had figured 'Joseph' out from a mile away, knowing the man, even with the fake papers that Jason had given him. And after last night, it would be pretty stupid to let the blonde walk back into the Wayne building, where Bruce would surely find a way to discreetly kidnap him and put him in Arkham or something.

"In fact," Jason said, "you don't need to work there anymore. You're working with me now."

"Do I get to be your secretary?" Jer said childishly, grinning as he turned off the water and stepped out, drying off. "I can keep annoying reporters away and when you're bored, I can come into your office and give you something _fun to do._ "

Jason chuckled at the silly fantasy, but couldn't deny the fact that the idea turned him on a bit. "Yeah, you can be my secretary. You'll do all the extra jobs, everything you like to do."

Jericho hummed happily, smiling wide and standing on his toes to kiss Jason's cheek. "I like it."

"Good. Now go get dressed."

The blonde skipped off back to the bedroom, towel barely hanging on his hips, while Jason got into the shower for a quick rinse. When made it back to the walk-in closet a few minutes later, Jericho was still standing there (naked) very carefully browsing through Jason's shirts.

"What are you doing?" Jason wanted to know, standing alongside him, drying his hair.

"Getting dressed," Jericho said, as if it were obvious.

"Yes but your clothes are on the other side, over here."

Jer smiled up at him. "Yes, but we had sex last night, so I'm wearing one of your shirts. The one you _were_ wearing is all ruined, so I'm trying to decide which of these is my favorite."

Jason rolled his eyes. "I meant for you to _get dressed_. There's things to do today, now that Chartreuse is out of the picture."

"I'll get dressed after breakfast," the blonde said, waving a hand dismissively. After picking a shirt, he put it on, and it came down to his lower thighs. He walked out of the closet and looked like he was ready to go right out to eat breakfast when Jason called out at him.

"Put some underwear on at least! We have someone over!"

"Ugh, _fine…_ "

After Jason had gotten fully dressed (like a normal adult…) he came out to the kitchen to find Jericho sitting on the barstool while Johnny made breakfast. The teen was babbling away, being his usual chatterbox self.

"...and I get to have a pistol like Jay's, and a bat, and I'm going to decorate them so they're all pretty and so I'll know they're mine."

"You're making a lot of promises, Jason," Johnny said with amusement as his employer sat down next to Jer. "You can't say no to him can you?"

Jericho's eyes lit up, as that gave him an idea. "A motorcycle!"

"No!" both men answered at once.

"You almost broke your neck last night," Jason said sternly. "You can borrow mine in emergencies but you don't need to be riding around like a maniac on your own all the time."

Jericho pouted, crossing his arms and looking at Jason with puppy-eyes. However, Jason _really_ didn't want to give something so risky to a person with no concept of fear.

"You're too important to drive yourself," he added. "Me and Johnny will get you around to wherever you need to go."

That seemed to satisfy him, so he nodded and he turned his attention to his steaming coffee mug, pouring in chocolate syrup. Jason didn't say anything, giving his own attention to Johnny.

"So, here's the plan," Jason said. "Chartreuse's death might create a bit of a power vacuum, we have to nip it in the bud before anyone gets any funny ideas. Thankfully, Jericho did make a very good example of him last night so I don't think anyone will try anything like that for a good while. Still, there's the business of dividing up his turf and assets to those who most deserve it, before people start getting greedy and take it for themselves, which could cause infighting."

Jer hummed at the mention of his name, beaming slightly at the praise. He poured syrup on the pancakes Johnny had whipped up, but didn't get _too_ disappointed when Jason took the bottle away to stop him from using too much. He still had his chocolate-spiked coffee after all, _and_ Jay said he did a good job.

"I want you to get all the top bosses gathered up tonight, outside of the city at the usual place. Make them feel welcomed, I don't intend on killing any of them off. Unless I really have to, of course, but so soon after Chartreuse I don't want to make things messier."

"No problem," Johnny said, dishing up some eggs and hashbrowns. "I'm sure what happened is on the news by now, and they'll think twice before disobeying you right now."

"I'm on the news?" Jericho said with delight.

"What you did is on the news, yes," Jason said, reading one article about it on his tablet at that very moment. "No one knows it's you, and for now we're keeping it that way. I don't want to see your face plastered out there if we can help it."

"Why not?"

"'Cuz you're so pretty," Jason answered, pinching the teen's slightly protruding bottom lip in his fingers. "Even when you pout. Someone might want to take you, and I won't let them."

Jericho nipped at Jason's fingers playfully, grinning. "I won't let them either."

"Good boy," Jay said, ruffling his messy hair a bit. "Finish your breakfast."

As the blonde continued eating, Jason went back to his conversation with Johnny, ignoring the man's teasing grin. "So, he's still a secret, then?"

"To the public," Jason corrected. "We'll introduce him to the big bosses tonight, let them know we've got a new guard dog."

"They won't believe that he killed all those men," Johnny pointed out. "They won't take him seriously."

"I know," Jay said, taking a bite of hashbrowns, chewing thoughtfully. "If we have to, though, we can prove it. Once they see him in action, they will think twice before pulling anything like the shit Chartreuse pulled."

Johnny grinned. "You can't wait to prove that, can you?"

"It's impressive," the crime lord smirked, clearly pleased at having such a powerful secret weapon in his arsenal. Not to mention happy to keep Jericho at his side after all, despite his original plan. Things seemed to be going his way, even after the whole shit-show last night.

"Done!" Jericho declared. Jason looked over, frowning slightly.

"Eat your eggs and hashbrowns too," he said. "You need carbs and protein, not just sugar."

Jericho didn't seem all that convinced, prodding at the remaining food with his fork. Jason decided to motivate him, if only to get that smile back.

"When you finish, you can get dressed, we're going out," he said. That perked up the teen just a bit.

"Where are we going?"

"I promised I'd buy you some toys, didn't I? And probably some new clothes to wear, for your new job."

 _There_ was that grin. Jericho ate at record speed, cleaning his plate and jumping down, running back to the bedroom before he'd even swallowed the last few bites. Jason smiled to himself at Jericho's enthusiasm, while Johnny grinned at his boss' endless infatuation with the blonde. That small, unassuming teen had one of Gotham's top crime lords wrapped helplessly around his little finger, and he didn't even seem to know it.

(XXX)

It was a long day of shopping and preparing. They went to the mall again first, letting Jericho pick out more flashy outfits for when he was 'working' with Jay. He followed the same color scheme as he usually did, sticking with a lot of red with black and dark blue incorporated, and a lot of shiny leather and other easy-to-clean sort of materials. Jason was glad it was nearing Halloween, so they didn't get too many strange looks at all the clothes the blonde was picking out. There were a good number of accessories too, gloves, boots, belts, fishnets, and chokers. Jericho particularly liked a gold choker that came with interchangeable letters that let him spell out different words on it.

Next, they found a good, solid bat. A few actually, just to have some back-ups. Jason wanted to get him ones made of metal, for durability, but Jericho insisted he liked the sound of the wooden ones better. A bystander would assume that he meant the sound of the bat hitting a ball, but Jason knew better, and he had to agree. Metal striking flesh wasn't his favorite sound either.

They looked around for a few other things to be made into make-shift weapons, but unsurprisingly there wasn't much around. Jason already had a vast supply of different knives he could give to Jericho, and that would be enough. They left the mall to meet up with one of Jason's other 'employees', a guy with a gun shop who was a good provider, never gave away any secrets.

Jericho wanted a pistol _exactly_ like Jay's, but Jason encouraged him to pick out a few other handguns, for the same reason that they got extra bats. With those, and some ammo, they were good to go.

Except for a quick (and embarrassing) stop at the craft store, so that Jericho could get paints and markers to decorate his new toys.

Jason spent the rest of the day preparing, while Johnny went out to make sure everybody would be gathered, on time, with not a single person absent. Sometimes it took a little extra persuasion, but Jason knew Johnny would get the job done. He always did, after all.

Jericho sat at the kitchen table, junk-mail coupon sheets spread out while he painted and colored. He hummed to himself, one leg tucked up underneath him while the other foot swung playfully back and forth. Jason came over to check on him after a while and was a bit surprised at what he found.

"When did you learn to disassemble guns?" he asked.

"Dunno," Jericho shrugged. "I just know how. It's easier to draw on some bits if it's not all put together."

" _Can_ you put it back together?"

"Yes," the teen answered simply. Jason picked up a bat, careful not to smudge drying paint. Once more he was impressed.

"You're good at doing all these designs. Did you trace something?"

"No, I used to paint 'n draw 'n stuff…" Jericho answered distractedly, squinting at the piece of gun he was working on now, and Jason could see him in action, doing letters with a very neat precision.

The man bit his lip, wondering if he should press it any further. There was no way that Jester had been the one to paint like this, not so precisely. Jason hadn't seen Jericho touch anything remotely crafty since he took him in, either, so that could only mean that _Joseph,_ the original Jericho, had been the one to paint. Jason vaguely remembered Dick mentioning wistfully that Jericho was artistically inclined, and that he'd had a guitar, but Jason didn't know that it was to this degree. Nor would he have expected Jericho to retain these talents after all the things he went through.

Whatever Jericho remembered about painting now had to have come from the time before the Joker. It was odd, because usually Jericho rejected all of his old memories, very adamantly. He wanted nothing to do with his past and repressed every single thing that ever came up. It was a big part of why Jason had never gotten around to letting him meet Dick again. Having been so closely tied to the whole traumatic incident, anything to do with the original Robin was very likely to send the blonde into a full panic attack. Suddenly Jason remembered that this was Deathstroke's kid- was that where he learned how to handle guns as well?

Before Jason could come up with anything to say, Jericho continued.

"Used to paint really stupid stuff like flowers and shit," he said. "Nothing fun like this. I painted… the mountain…" his voice got lighter, more far away. Jason tensed, waiting to see if this would turn south. "I lived up there. It was nice."

Jericho returned to his work, humming again, and Jason let go of the breath he was holding. Jer was still completely relaxed. It could be that he'd forget the mountain again within five minutes, but at least there were _some_ things he could remember without freaking out. Not to mention all the training from back then that was etched into his subconscious. Of course he retained some things, how else would he be able to fight like he did? Joker certainly couldn't have taught him all this stuff. Joker wouldn't have bothered. Jason decided not to ask anything else, though, just in case, and just left the teen to finish his work.

 **A nice little break, no? Just some nice fluffy bits until the action kicks in again. Next part is the last that I have of these two for now, so stay tuned for that. I'm pretty positive that gaybaconprincess also has some more in the works if this isn't enough for you. If you liked it, I'd like to hear it, so please review. See you in the next part!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I was going to post this yesterday but then I totally spaced it. Oops. This is the last part, and it's all I have planned for these two, but again, gaybaconprincess is very likely to post some more one-shots herself, so if you like this pairing in this particular setting then go check out her stuff. I borrowed the concept of the mob bosses and other thugs all having color-themed code names. I like to think Red told them to as a joke to see if they'd actually do it, and then they did. Makes it easier for me to throw out names for this chapter, so that works.**

 **Warning: a bit of violence ahead. Some slight romance at the very end, but nothing too sexual. Overall a pretty fun chapter I think.**

Later that evening, the couple had a nap. Well, it was a post-sex nap, but at least they got some rest before they headed out after the sun was down. Johnny drove one of Jay's sleek sports cars, while the other two rode in the back. Jay had on his usual Red Hood getup, while Jericho had meticulously picked out the perfect outfit for his debut. It was all red and blue, showed off his tattoos, and gave him the freedom of movement that he needed to do his thing. Jason was torn about the short-shorts and fishnets, but the boots and leather jacket definitely made him look at least a little less vulnerable. It was a difficult balance to maintain. Jason _wanted_ people to underestimate Jericho, but also didn't want them to single him out as an easy target. Nor did he want them ogling his lover, of course.

"We're here," Red Hood said, putting his gun into his jacket. "Ready?"

Jericho gripped his bat in both hands, giggling to himself. His own pistol was tucked into one boot, and a knife in the other. "Ready, puddin'"

Red rolled his eyes but didn't comment on the nickname. Jericho's 'Harley' side was showing again. Maybe he was a bit nervous, and putting on a bit of an act to keep it from showing. Well, the extra crazy would sure help convince these guys that they shouldn't mess with Jericho. Jason had been a little worried that if Jericho acted too calm and serious they wouldn't think he was very dangerous. The calm and serious thing worked for Red and Johnny because they were big and intimidating, but obviously it wouldn't work the same for someone of Jericho's size.

These meetups were always in the same place; an abandoned barn on some property that Red had procured from some older mobster that had died. It was out of town, so it was less likely that the Bat could find them, let alone sneak up on them. Secluded enough that they could meet in private, off of anyone's turf. Red was here first, as he always was, and walked inside with his two partners in tow. Johnny stood at ground level, on guard, while the other two went up to the loft, overlooking the large oak table where people sat. Red liked to stay up here to watch over the arrivals, before coming back down to join them for the meeting.

"What do you want me to call you? You can have any name you want for when you're on the job, what do you want it to be?" he asked the petite blonde, who was gazing up at the rafters.

"Huh? Oh, jus' Jericho's fine."

"Why that one?" Red asked with curiosity. Jericho still was, after all, the name of a former Titan. It wouldn't be awful if some people made the connection between the two, but Jason had expected Jer to take this opportunity to start fresh.

Jericho shrugged. "I already have a lot of names. That's the only name I picked for myself. Is it okay?" He looked up at Red, the nervousness peeking through just a bit. The man couldn't stop himself from smiling softly, though Jericho couldn't have seen it through his hood.

"Yeah, it's good."

Jericho smiled brightly. "Can I go play?" He pointed up at the rafters. Jason eyed them, and judged them to be sturdy enough to hold Jericho's light frame.

"Yeah. Come down when I ask you."

"'Kay!" With a cheery giggle the blonde jumped up onto the railing of the loft, and then up again onto the closest bar of wood. Red watched him, making sure he was on-balance and showed no signs of fatigue. He had to stop watching when the first man came in, not wanting to seem concerned about the teen.

As everyone came in, each allowed one armed body guard, they all seemed to notice Jericho one at a time, and watched him with confusion. They murmured between themselves, everyone but the first guy thinking that perhaps one of them had brought along some 'fun' for everyone. They weren't brave enough to speak up or ask out loud, all worried how the owner of this boy would react if they expressed interest. Red smirked. He liked it when they were confused.

After everyone had arrived, he came back down, stepping up to the head of the table and taking his seat there, Johnny standing behind him casually.

"Well then," he said, loud enough to make them all snap to attention. "I'm sure you all saw the news this morning. Some of you might have even had the chance to get a glimpse of the aftermath yourself, if you happened to be in the area or you have some connections with the police force. It's all true. Chartreuse and his crew are dead."

There were some murmurings and Red let them go on for a moment before continuing. Jericho's laughter echoed around them, a bit creepily. Red enjoyed how they all squirmed.

"I've called this meeting to divide up what he left behind. I hope you've all been on your best behavior and not attempted to take anything for yourselves so soon after his death. I'm not a fan of greediness and impatience."

"So was it you that killed him?" a man called Violet asked boldly.

"Indirectly."

"You hired someone?" Puce asked, a bit more nervous than the man who had spoken before him. "I thought you didn't like to hire outsiders. Unless it was one of us?" He glanced around at everyone there.

"I didn't hire anyone," Red said calmly. "I let my… personal guard take care of the mess after Chartreuse started acting up. I'm sure a lot of you knew he was planning on overthrowing me, but as you can see, he's failed, so I'll let his demise be its own lesson to you all."

The men all looked to Johnny, naturally assuming that he'd been the one to do the job. Jericho's giggling persisted as he hung down by his knees, his arms dangling, with the bat still in one hand. There was that special glint in his eyes, and while the other men missed it, the two who knew him recognized it very well. Red purposely looked up, just enough that the other men noticed, and they followed his gaze. For a second they looked between the teen and their boss, obviously confused, not sure if the man was really implying…

"You can't possibly mean…"

"That _kid?_ "

Red smirked under his mask. "That's exactly who I mean. He's a new member of my personal team, and I thought you all might want to meet him. Say hello to Jericho. Jericho, be polite, come back down here."

"Okie dokie!"

The childish remark was followed by Jericho straightening his legs, letting himself free-fall headfirst towards the table. The strangers at the table audibly gasped and flinched, but before his feet even cleared the bar, Jericho was already twisting his body into a somersault. He landed hard in a crouch on the table on the opposite end of where Red Hood sat, in front of a Mr. Cerulean. Red Hood stayed motionless, but inside Jason flinched. It was a good show of fearlessness, of course, but such a fall could break his ankles if he wasn't careful, not to mention the weapons in his boots. He'd have to have a stern talk with Jericho later but for now sat back to watch.

Red couldn't see it, but he could tell from Jericho's body language that he was bordering on feral, waiting eagerly for a single order. Cerulean's face had certainly paled, probably due to the intense green eyes boring into him. Jay made a mental note to let Jericho use eyeliner more often, as it certainly did the trick.

"He said _say hello_ ," Jericho said in a hollow voice. A drastic change from the voice that had been giggling from up above seconds ago.

The man sputtered for a second, having lost his voice, before managing to choke out, "N-nice to meet you…"

Jericho smiled brightly, straightening up and holding the bat over one shoulder. He turned and walked down the table to Jason, still smiling innocently, nodding to the men he passed in greeting. Jason was grinning gleefully to himself at how well this was all working out. Even without evidence of ferocity, the men were still incredibly unsettled by the teen.

Jericho came to Jason's seat, sitting on the table and sliding into Red's lap casually. Red continued to not outwardly react, nor did Johnny. For a moment everyone else was just stunned, trying to make sense of all this. Why would Red Hood pick up a scrawny teenager when he already had all the muscle (literally and figuratively) that he needed?

Cerulean spoke first, his pride clearly insulted by Jericho's lack of immediate respect. He sneered, trying to save face. "So you got yourself a boy toy? I thought kids were off-limits. Are the rules changing or are you a hypocrite?"

Red didn't like his attitude, but it was confirming his suspicions. Cerulean had been thinking the same things as Chartreuse. This was partly a test to see if anyone else ought to be eliminated. His hand rested on Jericho's hip, reminding him to wait until Red gave permission.

"The rules are the same," he answered firmly. "Jericho might look young but he's not a kid. And for the record, he's not a toy. As I just said, he's a new member of my team, and a personal guard. His first assignment was Chartreuse and he's proven himself more than capable."

The men were still clearly skeptical. Cerulean took advantage of this, possibly hoping to win them all over to his side to pull the same stunt as Chartreuse. He snorted, "We're supposed to believe _that_ scrawny thing took out all sixteen of those men? I think you just wanted to step outside your own rules and you're pretending he's not just your sex kitten so that we'll pipe down about it. Come on, Red, just admit the truth and we can all move past this ridiculous charade."

"Want to put it to the test?" Red dared. Jericho grinned, but another little squeeze on his hip reminded him not to act just yet.

"You're joking!" Cerulean said, barking out a laugh. He gestured to the large man standing behind him. "My Nikolai is top dollar, and even he couldn't take on all those men."

Jericho giggled, and Red nodded. "Sounds like a bet to me."

"A bet?" Cerulean was a notorious gambler. "What are we betting?"

"Well, maybe the right term would be a fight to the death," Red said coyly, "but that sounds too dramatic. Jericho against Nikolai. They fight, until one of them is dead, and we just put this whole thing behind us."

Cerulean laughed, and a few others joined in. Jericho was clearly crazy, but he was still much smaller. "I hope you gave him a kiss goodbye already!"

Jericho tensed, hands gripping the bat as he looked up at Red, waiting for his signal. Johnny smirked, catching the eye of the bodyguard at the opposite end of the table, who looked quite pleased to see some action. Just as the laughter died out, he felt a slight twinge of pity, and he decided to try and give him a bit of a leg up with a warning. "Run," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

" _Go get him, doll,_ " Red whispered into Jericho's ear, and the blonde shot up, as quick as lightning, jumping onto the table, gripping the bat in one hand. Just as fast, he sprinted down the length of it again, giving poor Nikolai no time to react. At the end of the table, Jericho jumped into the air, swinging the bat down hard onto the large man's face with a sickening crack.

Both opponents fell to the ground, though the teen landed on one knee, and the man fell flat on his back, blood gushing all over his face.

"YOU LITTLE _SHIT!_ " Cerulean shouted, already looking forward to watching his man pummel the little whelp.

" _I'LL KILL YOU!"_ roared Nickolai. Jericho bolted to his feet, cackling with laughter, leading the man outside the open doors where there would be more space to fight. The man followed, not even drawing his gun. Clearly he would prefer to throttle the blonde with his bare hands. Jason smirked as most of the other men stood up to get a better view. Nikolai had no idea what he was in for.

For a good few minutes, the man tried to catch Jericho, but the teen was too quick, ducking and weaving gracefully, throwing in more hits with his bat. The way he moved was different than the way he had as Jester, or even as a Titan. He was faster, taking more risks, but he also moved very precisely, in a planned way. He thought ten moves ahead, a sharp mind whirring under the ditzy, childish persona. Red Hood knew that by now, but no one else seemed to have figured it out.

"Hold still, you little _fuck!_ " Nikolai snarled. He finally pulled out a gun, taking a shot. Red couldn't see if he'd been hit, but the bat was knocked out of his hand. Nikolai smirked, until he saw Jericho grinning, whipping out his own pistol, standing still and firing, without flinching. He shot so quickly, without even trying to duck for cover, that the man was in a state of shock. Until a few bullets landed in his torso. He snarled again, taking a handful more shots of his own. At least one landed, hitting Jericho's shoulder and knocking him down. For a split second, to all but two of the men present, it seemed like that would be the end of it.

Nikolai approached the blonde, who lay in the dirt with his eyes closed. The man sneered, holstering his gun and pulling out a knife. He stooped down, picking the teen up by his collar, as if he weighed nothing. He carried the limp teen back to the table, wanting to make a show of his final blow. In front of Cerulean, he dropped Jericho on his back onto the table, snapping off his collar with one hand, baring his thin, pale throat. He paused for a second, however, when he saw the scar underneath, exactly where he had been planning on using his knife. It looked like someone had already beat him to it. He blinked in shock, though only those closest could see what he was looking at, so to some of them it looked like he was just hesitating out of fear or pity.

"Stop playing, and finish him," Red Hood said loudly enough to be heard, his voice firm. His command was a bit confusing to those present, as they assumed he was talking to Nikolai. Didn't Red want his boy to win?

Before he could shake off his unease, however, Nikolai was startled when bright green eyes snapped back open, a grin breaking out on the kid's face.

"Wanna be twins?" he asked in the same childish tone. He kicked out, hitting Nikolai in the stomach with one boot, winding him. He whipped out the knife from his other shoe, letting it gleam in the moonlight. Just as quickly, he slashed the knife in a wide arc, where the man was still leaning over him. Blood splattered down over his face.

Nikolai seemed to be trying to cry out, but all that came out were gurgling sounds. Blood poured down from where Jericho had cut open his throat, and he clutched at it, as if trying to hold all the blood in with his bare hands. Jericho got to his feet, crouching, before launching himself once more off the table, tackling the larger man to the ground. The blonde gleefully gave him a few solid stabs to the chest, really making sure the job was done, and burning excess energy. This one had been pretty easy after all the men last night, after all.

"That's enough," Red called out again.

The other men were all frozen in shock, completely petrified. Jericho snatched his collar back out of the dead man's hand, standing up and looking expectantly back at his 'boss'. Red gave a single, wordless nod of approval, and that was more than enough for the teen. He grinned again, practically skipping back around one side of the table to settle back into his place on Red's lap.

"Johnny, could you please find some bandages and wrap his shoulder for me?" Red spoke calmly, but on the inside he was truly worried about the blood loss. Despite metahuman healing abilities, Jericho's health and well-being was still something he was concerned about. Johnny nodded, going to the back where a few supplies were kept in waterproof containers, for an occasion like this.

Cerulean was the first to break out of his catatonic state, spluttering with anger and rising from his chair. "This is an _outrage!_ I am now down one man; my _best_ man! I demand some compensation for the damage your brat has done!"

Red stood up so quickly, Jericho barely landed on his feet. This was the first time that Red Hood had showed any sort of outward emotion, and it was rare for him to show his anger. However, Cerulean had been pushing too many buttons, and Jason hadn't had enough practice controlling his emotions when it came to Jericho. He was still very protective, since it was all so new.

"Excuse me?" he said coldly. "You lost a bet. You bet Nikolai's life over Jericho's and you lost. When you lose a gamble you accept it. Either that or bet again. Would you like to bet your own life this time?"

He didn't raise his voice, but Jericho still got chills. He'd never seen Red Hood in action before. He watched, wide-eyed, and filled with wonder. _Holy shit,_ he thought to himself, _Jay is really hot when he talks like that. I wonder if I can get him to talk to me like that? At home. In the bedroom…_

Johnny came back, pulling the blonde aside to dress his wound while the rest of the room was frozen. The two men at the ends of the table stared each other down, while the rest seemed quite content to keep out of it. They knew how serious Red was, especially after such a strong example he'd made with Jericho. Nikolai's body was still warm, after all.

Eventually, Cerulean decided now wasn't the time to fight this battle, and he ducked his head. He vowed to himself to find someone strong enough to take down that brat, but not tonight. Perhaps he could hire someone like Deathstroke, or Ravager to take him out from a distance. Surely the scrawny kid wasn't immune to a headshot, was he? The man sat down.

"I concede, Red Hood," he said. "He has more than proven his skill set, and it's clear now the reason that you have him. I apologize for questioning your reasons."

Red knew that Cerulean didn't really mean it; none of them ever really meant it when they apologized, but at least he'd scared these men into line for a good while. That was enough.

"I accept. Hopefully you'll all remember this the next time-"

"Hey!" shouted the teen from where he was at, sitting on a table, shirtless, while Johnny wrapped gauze around his shoulder. Everyone stared in shock, as no one usually dared interrupt Red Hood.

"Jericho it's rude to interrupt," Red pointed out flatly.

"It's also rude to ruin someone's brand new clothes!" he protested, holding up the bloodied shirt and jacket, as well as the collar with a broken fastener. Jason bit his tongue to keep from laughing to himself, turning with his arms crossed back to Cerulean, looking expectant. The other man gave a look that could kill, gritting his teeth as he finally spoke.

"I'll pay to replace them…" he growled.

"How generous of you!" Red said cheerfully. It would be pretty cheap to replace those few things, mere pocket change to the man, but it was certainly another blow to his pride. It was downright delicious to Red Hood. "I'll send you the bill. Jericho, what do you say?"

"Thank you," the blonde nodded with satisfaction, holding still so that Johnny could finish.

To Jericho, the rest of the meeting was mind-numbingly boring. They discussed all the assets that had to be divided up, and there wasn't even another fight, not even a small one! He was frowned at by Johnny when he wanted to go up to the rafters again, but he didn't want to interrupt Jason again so he accepted that he was grounded. Stupid gun-wound. The bullet wasn't even in there, anyway! All he could do was gather up his weapons and clean them. He stayed off to the side, since Jason was busy talking and it would be boring to sit in his lap if Jericho wasn't going to get any attention.

The knife and bat were dirtiest, but they cleaned up alright just the same. Jericho was glad that he'd given the bat a clear-coat so that his decorations weren't ruined. He completely forgot to clean the blood off of his face, though, to the discomfort of the men still watching him out of the corners of their eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting was finally over. Red liked to leave last, just like he arrived first, so by the time they went back to their car, they were all alone. In the back seat, Jason took off the hood, getting some fresh air and running fingers through his hair.

"That was quite a night," he said. "How'd you like your first meeting?"

He pulled the blonde close, craving the feel of him after so long of having to act like he felt nothing. If the men realized how much he liked Jericho, they'd certainly try to use the teen against him. They'd have to be careful about that, but Jason had a feeling he wouldn't be able to keep up the act for too much longer.

Jericho hummed, snuggling up to him. "It was boring as hell. Except the first part, of course. I did good, right?"

"You did well," Jason said. "Except you got shot." He had half a mind to scold his young lover for letting it happen.

"Well, I'm not Superman," Jericho said with a shrug. "I'm fine, though. Did you see how I pretended I was knocked out? The look on his face…" He giggled to himself, imagining it.

"You're clever, just stay careful," Jason said.

"Do you have those meetings a lot?" Jericho wondered, watching out the window as they got closer to the city.

"No, very rarely. Usually I can send messages to all of them, but sometimes we need to discuss things as a group."

"Well, I don't know if I want to go anymore, if they're all that boring."

Jason chuckled. No one else would call that boring. True, the discussion had been dry, but the excitement of one fight would have been enough to call the whole evening an event for anyone else. Only Jericho could find it all so mundane.

"I promise I'll only take you out to do fun things from now on," he said. "Things you like."

Jericho hummed happily, sitting up tall, pulling Jason into a kiss. Jay gladly kissed him back, deepening it. Soon enough, Jericho's bloodied shirt was off again, and the teen was straddling his lover's lap, moaning into Jason's mouth.

"Hey!" Johnny called from the driver's seat. "Can't you two keep it in your pants until we get home? You know, save it for your bed?"

"No!" Jericho said firmly, though he still sounded downright childish about it. "I sleep _where_ I want and with _who_ I want. Huh, puddin'?"

"You heard him, Johnny," Jason said with a slight chuckle. "But maybe if you're fast enough we'll get back before the real action."

The biker only groaned to himself. He hoped their 'honeymoon' phase wore off soon, but if he knew Jason, then there was little chance of that happening. He focused on the road in front of him, ignoring the moans and giggles behind him.

"Mmm…. Jay, I love you."

"I love you too, cupcake," the man responded, referring to Jericho's favorite shirt.

"Hey, you think you can use that sexy voice on me? I really liked it."

"What voice?"

"When you got all mad at that guy today, after he was mad at me."

Jason let out a low chuckle, pulling the blonde close, nibbling on his ear. He spoke low, trying to recreate the cold tone in his voice from before. "This one?"

Jericho shivered. "Yes… Tell me about what you'd do to that guy if he was mean to me again."

Jay chuckled again, going along with the random requests. He liked that he could turn on his lover like this. He liked that Jericho seemed to like his act of dominance. He spoke in that voice, telling Jericho a few vague things about what he'd do to anyone who crossed him.

The blonde hummed, clearly enjoying it. "And why would you do all of that?"

"Because he threatened you," Jason purred.

"And?"

"And anyone that threatens you has hell to pay."

"Because?"

"Because you're the most precious thing in the world to me, and anyone who threatens to take that away deserves everything that's coming to them," Jason said, telling Jericho everything he knew the blonde wanted to hear. And it was the truth.

"'Cuz you love me and we'll always be together, right?"

"Right," Jason promised, touching their foreheads together. "We'll always be together."

 **The end! I really love these two crazies. If you enjoyed it, I'd love to read about it in a review. If not, I also wouldn't mind reading why not, either. Regardless, thanks so much for reading! See you in the next story!**


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